Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is correct. Which Minister is taking this matter? We addressed it to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I have huge respect for the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, and his portfolio, but I had hoped we would have a Minister or Minister of State from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. However, like Deputy Michael McNamara, I will keep my powder dry because maybe we will get good news, which is what we are here for.

To provide some context for the Minister of State, a landslide occurred at Shass Mountain in Drumkeeran in June 2020, which is well over 20 months ago. More than 20 farmers and eight foresters were adversely affected by the damage from the landslide. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, set up an inter-agency group that did really good work. All of that is in hand. However, the farmers in the area have seen no progress on agricultural issues. Force majeurehas been used for two years to enable those farmers to access their payments. The Minister of State and I both know that force majeure can no longer apply after two years. The affected farmers need certainty about their payments.

Last November, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, came to Drumkeeran where he met the farmers and stakeholders and engaged with all of us. He promised he would seek funding from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, to put a compensation package in place. Despite a great deal of correspondence, all I got in response to a parliamentary question was a holding answer indicating that nothing definite was happening.

The farmers have been patient, as have public representatives. When similar incidents occurred in other parts of the country, they were done and dusted and compensation packages were put in place within 12 months.

We have waited more than 20 months now. Perhaps we have been too patient. I am hoping for good news, however. I am hoping to hear a definite date, at the very least, by which the Minister will deliver on the compensation package he promised he would negotiate when he was in Drumkeeran last November,

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